I Cut My Screen Time By 80% (No Willpower Needed, ADHD Friendly)

Summary

In this personal and introspective video, Haley embarks on a month-long experiment to reduce her screen time, inspired by her reading of *Fahrenheit 451*. She shares her journey of removing entertainment apps from her phone, using her phone in black and white, and limiting distractions by logging into entertainment accounts only on stationary devices. Haley discusses how these changes drastically reduced her screen time from 6.5 hours to 1.5 hours a day. She reflects on the newfound appreciation for her phone, improved patience, higher-quality content consumption, and a reconnection to boredom and creativity. Ultimately, Haley encourages viewers to try this experiment to reclaim their time and improve mental clarity.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker wants to look back at the year and remember meaningful experiences, rather than wasting time on their phone.
• 😀 The speaker realizes that excessive phone usage has led to missing out on key memories from last year.
• 😀 Their screen time was about 6.5 hours a day, which they found to be excessive, considering a large portion of the day is spent working on the phone.
• 😀 The goal is to reduce phone usage to only what's essential for work and a little extra for fun, with no clear idea of how much time this will take.
• 😀 The decision to reduce phone use was influenced by reading the book *Fahrenheit 451*, which explores the impact of screens and dopamine on life.
• 😀 The speaker tried switching to a flip phone or a simpler device, but realized that control over phone use requires changing how the phone itself is used.
• 😀 Over the course of a month and a half, screen time was reduced from 6.5 hours to just 1.5 hours a day by removing entertainment apps, using stationary devices for social media, and turning the phone's display to black and white.
• 😀 The first week of this experiment showed immediate benefits, like feeling more present and aware of how often they reached for their phone.
• 😀 There was a noticeable improvement in mental clarity, and they learned to appreciate boredom, which allowed for more creativity and personal growth.
• 😀 The experiment led to a deeper connection with self and others, as phone distractions were reduced, and the speaker experienced more patience, quality time, and a desire to build stronger relationships.

Q & A

What is the main goal Haley is trying to achieve with her phone?

Haley's main goal is to reduce her screen time to only what's necessary for work and a little extra for fun, aiming to make this year more memorable and meaningful.

How much time was Haley spending on her phone before starting the experiment?

Haley was spending approximately 6 and a half hours a day on her phone, which she felt was excessive and needed to change.

What realization did Haley have while reading 'Fahrenheit 451'?

Reading 'Fahrenheit 451' made Haley reflect on her relationship with screens, dopamine, and technology, and inspired her to consider reducing her phone usage.

Why did Haley decide against getting a flip phone or dummy phone?

Haley realized that getting a flip phone or dummy phone wouldn't solve her issue with phone addiction, as the real challenge was not the device itself, but controlling her relationship with it.

What were the three main strategies Haley used to reduce her phone usage?

The three strategies Haley used were: 1) Deleting all entertainment apps from her phone, 2) Logging into those apps only on a stationary device like an iPad, and 3) Turning her phone screen to black and white to make it less appealing.

What was Haley's screen time after a month and a half of implementing her experiment?

After a month and a half, Haley reduced her screen time from 6 and a half hours to just 1 and a half hours per day, which included all usage on her phone and iPad.

How did the black and white screen setting affect Haley's phone usage?

The black and white setting made Haley's phone less visually stimulating and less appealing, helping her resist the urge to mindlessly scroll.

How did Haley's perception of boredom change during the experiment?

Haley reconnected with boredom during the experiment, learning to embrace it as a space for creativity and self-reflection instead of filling it with phone usage.

What unexpected benefit did Haley experience regarding her photos?

Haley found that with her phone in black and white, she gained a greater appreciation for the beauty of her photos, as she focused more on capturing the moment rather than seeking the perfect picture.

What insight did Haley gain about her social connections after reducing phone usage?

Haley realized that by not reaching for her phone to scroll, she became more aware of her limited social interactions, which prompted her to invest more in meaningful conversations with her close friends and family.